Science Career and WIL Centre: Experience Your Education
Drop-In Service Hours
Check Elevate for current service hours.
Office Location and Email
Undergraduate Science Office
Science B149
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
Email us at science.careers@ucalgary.ca
Why participate in the Science Co-op Program?
- Paid work experience in a professional environment
- Expand your network and explore potential career options
- Develop technical and professional skills to be competitive in today’s job market
- Connect academic knowledge with practical experience
- Receive the Science Co-op Education Designation on your transcript and parchment
- Maintain your full-time student status while on Co-op
Apply Now
The Science Co-op Program is now open for applications!
Apply on Elevate by February 3, 2025
Check out our Science Co-op Program brochure or come see us at one of our Explore Science Co-op Sessions. All our admission requirements are all outlined below.
Register for an Explore Science Co-op Session on Elevate. Under the Faculty of Science > Science Events and then register to attend one of the following dates:
- January 20th, 21st, 23rd, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th.
Application and Admission Information
Students can apply to the Science Co-op Program Elevate. The program accepts applications twice per year, once in the Fall term (early October) and once in the Winter term (early February).
To be eligible for admission, students must have:
- 60 units of coursework completed prior to or in progress of being completed during the semester of application
- a minimum 18 degree-required units remaining after the semester of application*
- GPA of 2.0, calculated on the most recent 30 units of coursework completed by the application deadline and be in Good Academic Standing.
- a basic resume and cover letter – these should be basic starting points that we will help you build from and improve your current documents. See Elevate for instructional videos.
* Please email science.careers@ucalgary.ca if you have questions regarding your specific circumstances.
** We do accept off-cycle admissions, please email us if you have missed the deadlines.
Path to Becoming a Science Co-op Student
Step 1: Attend an Explore Science Co-op Session
- Get further details on how to apply and what co-op involves. Information sessions will be listed on Elevate under Faculty of Science, Science Events.
Step 2: Ensure you meet the admission requirements
Step 3: Submit your application in Elevate under Faculty of Science, Science Co-op Program
Step 4: Receive formal admission
- This usually occurs within 2 weeks of the application deadline. . Admission updates are communicated via UCalgary email. If you receive admission to the Science Co-op Program, you will then be charged the $50 admission fee, which will appear on your student centre in term following.
Step 5: Attend the mandatory Science Co-op Workshops and have your resume approved.
- Workshop and resume submission information will be shared via your @ucalgary.ca email address after admission. International students will receive a letter to support their application for their Co-op Work Permit after attending orientation.
Not currently. The Science Co-op Program requires a student to complete 4 to -16 months of paid, full-time, work experience in addition to your academic requirements. Since it does not currently fulfill any existing course requirements, successfully completing the Science Co-op Designation will add 8-16 months to a student’s degree program.
Starting in Fall 2024, students who have successfully secured a co-op position and are registered in a COOP 505 course, will have the ability to register in SCIE 505, which is a 3 unit, senior option course that can be counted towards your degree required option courses. SCIE 505 is exclusive to students working and enrolled in the Science Co-op Program.
Schedule an appointment with a Program Advisor in the Undergraduate Science Centre to discuss how to fit the Science Co-op Program into your degree and how it may affect your course progression. Meet with a Program Advisor.
Being enrolled in the Science Co-op Program allows you to apply your knowledge and skills, gain a competitive edge through real industry experience, develop your networks, discover career options, and earn a full-time salary. The Science Co-op Program will be reflected on your transcript and parchment as the Science Co-operative Education Designation. For every four-month work term, a student will be enrolled in a COOP 505 course which allows the student to be recognized by the university as a full-time student, even though they are not taking any academic courses. Being recognized as a full-time student allows student rates to be applied to UPass, student loans, housing etc.
Students admitted to the Science Co-op Program are required to pay a $50 admission fee upon acceptance. Course fees are assessed for each course at the time the COOP course is registered. Please contact science.careers@ucalgary.ca to find out the cost of a four-month work term.
There are fees and tuition associated with the Science Co-op Program, as it is an academic program that adds value to your degree. Students can also keep in mind that they will be earning money while on co-op, our average salary for 2024 was $24/hr.
A resume and cover letter are the basic tools you need to apply for jobs. For the Science Co-op Program application, we require you write a basic resume and cover letter, targeted to the Science Co-op Program. We offer templates and resources to write your resume and cover letter under the Faculty of Science Elevate tab and the Centre for Career and Personal Development also offers a wealth of online and in person resources for creating both a resume and cover letter. Once you are admitted to the Science Co-op Program, you will also have access to exclusive workshops including how to improve your resume and cover letter, interview skills and networking.
Do I have to wait for the next admission cycle?
If you have secured a position and meet the Science Co-op Program admission criteria, please connect with us at science.careers@ucalgary.ca to discuss next steps.
Next Steps After Admission
You are required to attend mandatory workshop to confirm your acceptance to the Science Co-op Program. Information is sent directly to your UCalgary email; please monitor your email frequently.
The Science Careers and WIL team is here to support your job search. Access resources available to you including:
- Science Co-op job board
- Professional Development workshops including resumes, cover letters, job searching, networking, interview skills and more
- A wealth of career development resources including templates
- One on one advising with our team of Science Career Advisors
- Access to employer networking events including micro career fairs, industry nights, mock interviews and more
Many students start their search on the Science Co-op job board in Elevate, but there are other options to consider when securing a job that fits your goals and meets the requirements for the Science Co-op Program.. Think about what positions, companies, and industries interest you, and your future career goals.
Your positions can be degree related, but it is not necessary for the Science Co-op Program. Look for a position that interests you or a position that is a steppingstone or building block for your intended career path, and positions that will set you up for your future career aspirations.
Yes, the Science Co-op job board is just one resource. A job must meet the following criteria to count towards a co-op work term:
- Full time hours
- Paid, at least minimum wage ($15/hr in Canada).
- Minimum 12 weeks long up to 16 months, aligns with academic terms
- Supervised, high quality learning opportunity
Positions secured outside the Science Co-op Job Postings on Elevate must be approved by the Science Co-op team. Any questions regarding roles can be directed to science.careers@ucalgary.ca.
To earn the Science Co-operative Education Designation students must complete a minimum of 2 work terms and COOP 505.01 and 505.02.
If you secure a 4-month position, you can explore an extension with your employer for an additional 4, 8 or 12 months, or you can secure a different position with another employer for 4, 8 or 12 months to satisfy the requirement of minimum 8 months. Work terms are flexible and can be scheduled around your academic courses as needed..While there is flexibility, you must remain academically eligible to participate in Co-op at all times you are in the program. You must be able to return to class from your last co-op work term with a minimum of 9 degree units remaining in your degree. Please connect with Science Co-op Program if you have questions regarding your specific circumstances.
As long as your remain academically eligible, students can complete up to 4 COOP work terms in the Science Co-op Program or up to a total of 16 months of work.
Works terms align with the academic semesters and start in January (Winter), May (Summer), or September (Fall).
Co-op opportunities are available locally in Calgary, within Alberta, Canada, and internationally. Please note students interested in working internationally must have work authorization in that country, and the Science Careers and Co-op team does not assist with that process.
Opportunities are posted on an ongoing basis to Elevate. Employers may post at any time, right up to the start of the work term. Many employers begin posting the term prior, sometimes even 6-7 months in advance. Start your job search early and check Elevate and other job boards frequently, as there are new postings daily. In some cases, postings might only be available for a few days.
Research opportunities can count towards a co-op work term if it meets the requirements for Science Co-op (see above), however if you are already using the research experience towards an academic course, the experience cannot count towards a co-op work term.. Students participating in research positions under the PURE awards or NSERC grants are now eligible to use these positions towards a Co-op work term.
It is your responsibility to search for and secure an opportunity. Students have a full year from being admitted to the Science Co-op Program to secure your first position, provided they remain academically eligible. To participate in an co-op term, students must have at least 9 required units remaining in their degree. Any students who do not secure a co-op term within this timeline will be removed from the Science Co-op Program.
Students must return from their work terms on an academic term. To participate in a work term, students must have at least 9 required units remaining in their degree.
International students will receive a letter to support their application for their Co-op Work Permit after attending the required workshops after admission. Please connect with International Student Services at the University of Calgary for any questions regarding permits or the application process, as they have certified consultants legally able to advise on study permits, work permits, visas, electronic travel authorizations, work regulations, and Government policies related to international students.
Next Steps After Receiving a Job Offer
1. Submit your offer to Science Careers & Co-op
Once you secure a position, email your offer letter/contract to science.careers@ucalgary.ca. Once the details of your co-op position have been reviewed, your next steps prior to starting work will be to:
- Complete the Transition to the Workplace requirements
- Drop your academic courses for the term
- Get registered - the Science Co-op team will register you in your COOP course and the SCIE 505 course should you choose to take it.
- Review COOP and SCIE course requirements, access the courses in D2L once you are registered and the course is active, note down all required deadlines and ensure you check your ucalgary email frequently to ensure you don’t miss any required assignments or deadlines.
2. Start work
3. Complete your work terms
Submit all COOP and SCIE course requirements on time and to the best of your ability. Complete at least two work terms to earn the Science Co-operative Education Designation.
No, once you have secured aco-op position and submitted your offer letter/contract, the Science Co-op team will register you in the COOP course. You cannot self-register or self-remove from the COOP 505 courses.
COOP 505.01 – Science Co-op Work Term 1
COOP 505.02 – Science Co-op Work Term 2
COOP 505.03 – Science Co-op Work Term 3
COOP 505.04 – Science Co-op Work Term 4
If you choose to enroll in the SCIE 505 courses during your co-op terms, you will also be enrolled in those courses and are required to successfully complete all course requirements and remain gainfully employed in your co-op position to receive credit for SCIE 505.
Requirements and deadlines will be indicated in the course outline in the D2L shell. For COOP 505.01 and COOP 505.02, the requirements are as follows:
- Work Term Requirements: Learning Objectives, Feedback Surveys – Self and Employer
- Academic Requirements: Final work reflection and professional assignment
The Science Careers and WIL team is here to support your success while on co-op. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns throughout your co-op experience. Any work-related questions should be first directed to science.careers@ucalgary.ca.